


Backyard Brawl

by Lisbon (curseofbunny)



Series: Owari Magica [145]
Category: Owari Magica
Genre: Angst, Body Swap, Feelings, Gen, spar, they're just chillin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:49:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27145483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curseofbunny/pseuds/Lisbon
Summary: Percy 1149 words at 575 +550 +50 = 1175ptsAeron 1809 words at 905 +900 = 1805pts
Series: Owari Magica [145]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815574





	Backyard Brawl

**Author's Note:**

> Percy 1149 words at 575 +550 +50 = 1175pts  
> Aeron 1809 words at 905 +900 = 1805pts

Maybe it was weird, but after hanging out with his dad all morning, Percy climbed through the fence into Aeron's backyard, just like old times, and settled down on the bench in the backyard, texting Aeron to come downstairs and outside. He hoped Nellie or the maids wouldn't take issue with his presence, but he really, really wanted to talk. Too many things were rattling in his head right now.

Aeron had just gotten home, stepping into the door when they got the text. They walk to their backyard, and smile when they see Percy.  
"Percy! There you are!"

Percy smiled, turning his head to wave at them. "How are you doing? Were you looking for me?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Aeron stepped up the bench and motioned Percy up.  
"Sit up for a second."

Percy did so, shifting as he felt Aeron move behind him. "And i wanted to hang out with my friend. What's up?"

Aeron pats their lap to let Percy lay back down.  
"I met someone at the mall, and... I think I might have made things up with Belladona?"

Percy settled in, smiling as they let him lay down. He hadn't done this in a while... he hums and closes his eyes. "Tell me everything. You know I've got you."

Aeron hummed, and began playing idly with Percy's hair.  
"I sparred a newbie, another blue one. After that I went to the mall, and met... I didn't catch her name. She's asian, and short. One of the Rosecorp magi, she was buying them all lunch in the foodcourt. I didn't know who she was or anything until she asked me if I trusted you to lead us." They scritch his scalp lightly.  
"And of course I do. She tried to undermine it a little, and tried to make me distrust Belladona too. I didn't want to hear it. And... then I um. Made a bet with her?"

"Do you remember the newbies name? I've met two, an uh, Maddie and a Nall. And... I'm not sure I've caught that one's name." Percy chewed on his bottom lip. "What's the bet?"

"I've met Maddie and Nall, too. I sparred Nall, he's... interesting. Beats himself up a bit when he misses. I don't know if I managed to make him feel any better or not when I tried to coach him through it." They shake their head.  
"I bet her $100 that one of the rosecorp magi would die first. She bet me $30 that you or your partners would leave one of ours to die, and $40 if it was at Belladona's urging. I didn't want to take it, but I got so mad I said the first thing that came to mind." They continue to idly play with Percy's hair.  
"I told Belladona about it, since she was the one available, and I figured out how to apologize for... everything. I also found out you don't get to change your moves once you're a vet, and... well. Between the training with Nall and how mad I got at the girl I made a bet with, I think I might have... gotten there?"

Percy smiled. "So you're right behind me, again?" He teased. "I'm proud of you. Nothing can change that, Aeron. You're my sib from another crib. Did you get any better fighting moves? I know that's been something you struggle with out here." He took a slow breath to relax into the touch before addressing the first point. "So they really think we don't care about each other. That we're trying to hurt each other. Well, all I have to say to that is to do better. Prove them wrong. I'm not opposed to getting dirty, but the high road and taking care of us first should help. I don't want them thinking they can pick us off or attack our weaknesses just because we don't have some prime cash backing and a business card. Fuck them. You stood up for us, and I'm proud of you."

"I have plenty of money, and I can ask my father for more. I might not be able to match them, but between me, Belladona, and Salem, we could. Maybe." Aeron flushed.  
"Thanks. I don't know, I haven't tried transforming since I finished the spar with Nall. I... should probably check that out. And. Of course I stand by you. You're my brother. Kind of. Close enough." They scritch his scalp again.  
"Ophelia texted me in the middle of the talk with Belladona, saying I shouldn't go anywhere alone. I think she's getting antsy about all these hostile rosecorp dicks in town, really. Or... something. And um. Belladona asked for you to be there for a practical magic lesson with Ophelia and me in a couple days. I'm sure she'll tell you, but. Since I'm here."

Percy chewed on his lip. "Magic lessons... kind of make me nervous. I'm not good at magic. I don't understand it. But, if I can support everyone and learn how to do it, you know I'll follow through. And... do I get to claim you as my brother too?"

"Of course you can." Aeron plays with his hair a bit more.  
"I think Belladona wants you there because she doesn't want to have to teach just me and Ophelia alone. Also, she said something about Vets needing to learn all the enchantments, so... that's also probably a thing?"

"I like the idea of it, but I'm nervous. I don't understand magic. I don't... use it." He sighed. "It's not something I have a grasp of."

"Maybe I can help you? I know you don't have any magic moves like I do but... maybe the theory I work with is something you'd understand?"

Percy blinks up at them. "Like... you explain it, and then we see if that helped?"

"Yes. I've done some enchanting, and... I can try?" They play with his hair a little more, twisting a couple curls between their fingers.  
"The magic I understand best is healing, which I know won't really help you. But..."

"Tell me about it. Anything will help. All I know is... hit stuff." Percy sighs, feeling more and more at ease as they petted him.

"Healing is something you can't think too hard about. If you do too much research, think too hard, you stop being able to see... the forest for the trees. You get too bogged down by the details. Magic is all kinda like that. Think about it too hard and it gets too complicated and your brain just.... rebels." Aeron babbled a little, as they began twisting a few of his curls together, making tiny twists as they talked.  
"Enchanting objects requires knowing what you want those objects to do and the understanding of how to do it."

"But what if I don't understand it? Or know what they do? I've never understood enchantments, and I've hardly dealt with any of them. I have a stockpile of... of stuff that I've never used, but just been given and given and it's. Overwhelming."

"So we go slow. A first aid kit, what do you want it to do?" Aeron pulled out their gem to glance it over as they talk.

"I... want it to heal you?" Percy guessed, pulling out his own gem to reach up and tap against Aeron's gently.

"Exactly. You want it to heal someone." They smile at him gently.  
"You focus on what you want it to do, as you make the movement of your gem. It's probably the simplest enchantment I know how to do. I only know three, right now. And you know the invisibility spell, too."

"So..." Percy lifted his gem to them. "How do you do it? Show me? Please?"

"Enchant a first aid kit? I don't have any prepped, I can't really teach you properly." Aeron took his gem anyway.  
"Unless you meant something else? I did learn to make a grief seed container, too." They offer him their gem, since they were apparently swapping them for this experiment.

"I have always wondered about those." Percy took their gem and rested it on his chest, admiring it against the late afternoon light. "Hmm, go ahead. Show me how to do it."

Aeron slid out from under Percy, making sure he didn't fall too hard or anything, and made to head back inside.  
"Let me grab Buck's, I think I have an extra somewhere I can make a container for too-"

Percy shifted to rest on the bench, eyelids fluttering shut. "See you in a sec!"

Aeron stepped through the door and towards the stairs up to their room, when they found themself back outside. Laying down. On the bench. Grabbing their gem, they sat up and then stopped, looking down at. Not their own hand.

Percy was relaxing peacefully when he lurched, landing hard on the stairs. He thought for a second that he'd lost time or been thrown, but that... that wasn't right. He was inside. Not outside. He stood up slowly, and everything looked... odd. Was he.... taller? And wearing heels? He made a distressed noise, but it wasn't his own voice that greeted him. "Aeron?"

Aeron headed inside, and felt a rush of vertigo at looking at their own body.  
"Percy." Oh, hell.

Percy hobbled a few steps forwards, dizzy as he looked at Aeron in... inside of him. His body. "What's happening?"

"I don't. I don't know? This... this isn't supposed to happen?" Aeron laid a steadying hand on his, their, Percy's shoulder, and glanced down at the gem in their other hand. Hmm.

Percy looked down as well. He remembered... all the issues he'd had coming to terms with his soul gem being what it was.  
"Our soul gems are our souls." He says slowly.

"Yeah?" Aeron knew that. They were trying to figure out how this happened, but nothing was really sticking out to them.

"And if we get too far away from our souls, we pass out." Percy continues, waiting for them to correct him if he's wrong.

"Uh huh?" Aeron's eyebrows knit together. Where was he going with this?

"So what happens when our soul gems get too far from our bodies?" Percy gestured at Aeron's body, his body for the moment.

"Uh. We shut down? You just said so."

"But you had my gem, and I had yours. We both forgot which one we were holding because... I trust you. And you trust me."

"...yeah. So...?" Aeron tried to think.  
"We... didn't pass out..."

"Our souls were like, what the fuck? And went into the closest body. I think." Percy moved their, his? hand forwards to steady himself by holding their, his? hip. Was his waist really that small?

"...so we can swap bodies?" Aeron cupped his, their, Percy's face.  
"This is really weird. My eyes should not be blue."

Percy laughed. "And- god my face looks really cool with your eyes."

Aeron smiled slightly.  
"Thanks. You don't look bad. I just wasn't expecting it."

"So..." Percy swallowed. "What.... now?"

"....we can. Swap back? I don't know what transformations would look like, like this, really?" Aeron offered.

"Do you think we'd be in our own costumes?" Percy let an eyebrow rise.

"Probably? We have our gems, so..." Aeron shrugged once.

Percy handed his gem to them, then held out his hand for theirs. "Please?"

Aeron gave their gem to Percy.  
"So we transform? Or we walk away and swap back?"

"Walk away and swap back?" Percy guessed. "Do... you want to spar?"

"Okay." Aeron turned, to do the walking.  
"We can spar in my backyard?"

Percy nodded, staying put. He wasn't sure the vertigo wouldn't knock him on his ass. "Are you sure Nel won't see?"

"Nellie knows I'm magic. And she's out with Daisy buying groceries for the week, we've got plenty of time. I've sparred back here before, and... I'm the only one who really goes back here. I planted all of the plants you see." They nod towards the door, and smile at Percy slightly.  
"We can draw the curtains on the door if you like?"

Percy couldn't help but snicker, before he's facing Aeron again, stumbling. "Ow, ow," he rubbed the back of his head, putting his soul gem back around his neck. "Cool but wow that was weird."

Aeron shakes themself out a little.  
"It is." They slip their pendant back over their own neck.  
"I was gonna grab Buck's container, do you wanna save that for after the spar instead?"

"Yeah, I have too many pins and needles." Percy transformed mid step, pulling out his whip.

Aeron transforms as well, and pauses at the feeling of a skirt swishing at their calves. They were wearing proper boots now, too, and a skirt with a fluffy petticoat. Their sleeves ended just below their elbows, and didn't make it all the way down their arms. And... they had bows, at their neck and hip.  
"Oh." Their shoulders are cold. And their upper back.

Percy's eyes widened. "Wait- spin for me?" He bounced on his heels. "New costume!!"

Aeron spins in a full circle, skirt flaring out around them as they do. They don't have a cape, just the skirt and the puffy sleeves and the bows. And their tiara. They checked to see if it was still on their head. They smile at Percy.  
"Does this always happen? A new look when you get better?"

"It's happened to me before!" Percy clapped his hands together. "You look amazing. I love it, seriously. That skirt? The open back? The puffy sleeves? Yes!"

"I've only changed twice." Aeron swishes their skirt, and smiles at Percy again.  
"So. Spar? How far do we go?"

"Not very?" Percy offered. "I don't wanna hurt you, and I don't think we want to put everything into it. It's been a long day, after all."

Aeron nodded.  
"Cap it at half health? Or so?" They offer, stepping to the door and opening it with a little shrug.

Percy nodded. "That works with me. So we don't, you know." He gestures at himself, then gets into a prepared position with his whip. "Ready?"

Aeron summons their staff, and nods in response. As they get ready, they... feel like they have options for attacking. For the first time since Vondila's death. They pause, and try to guess what those moves are before trying to use them.

Percy slashed at Aeron with his whip, satisfied with the 'crack' noise it made.  
(8+7 to hit, 4dmg)

Aeron flinched, and brought their staff up to block the hit, on instinct. They send the damage back with magic. (d14 +9 to hit, 4dmg to Percy)

Percy froze, looking between himself and them. "I... you.... Aeron?"

Aeron stared at their staff for a moment.  
"I... can... send damage back to you?" They glance up at Percy. 

Aeron: 75hp Percy: 71hp

Percy laughed, surprised and excited. "Do it again! That's so cool!" He lashed his whip again.  
(19 to hit, 3dmg)

Aeron flinched and then slashed their staff at Percy, sending the damage back a second time. They grin at him this time. (d15 +9 to hit, 3dmg to Percy.)

Aeron: 75hp, Percy: 68hp

They looked so excited that Percy just laughed. "Nice!"

Aeron twirled their staff around their knuckles.  
"Hit me, this time? I'll figure out what else I can do."

Percy lashed at them with his whip again, heart thrumming with excitement. "This is so cool, Aeron!"  
(11+7 to hit, 5dmg)

Aeron nodded, and made to hit Percy back, whiffing harmlessly by his shoulder instead. They huff a little in annoyance. (d2 +9 to hit)  
Aeron: 70hp Percy: 68hp

Percy lashed at them again. "You've got this!"  
(9+7 to hit, 4dmg)

Aeron grinned, and smacked him with their staff properly this time. Magic glowed at the curved tip, and stunned Percy for 1 round. (d5 +9 to hit, 4dmg) 

Aeron: 66hp Percy: 64hp

Percy fell to one knee, the whip falling from his grip and disappearing. "Did you just-?"

Aeron grinned.  
"I did! I wasn't sure what it would do, so... what did I do?" They offer the end of their staff to him, to help Percy stand.

Percy stood up slowly, then patted himself down. "I was stunned. I couldn't move!"

Aeron nodded.  
"Cool. That'll be useful in a fight."

Percy glanced down. "Want to do a few more hits before we get some dinner?" He offered.

'Sure. Hit me? It's only fair." They plant their feet but make no real attempt to block an incoming hit.

Percy let his knuckle guards slot into place and punched them in the shoulder.  
(19+7 to hit, 5dmg)

Aeron flinched, but carefully didn't use magic to retaliate. Unfortunately, this meant they were overthinking the swing and missed Percy's side by a mile. (d6 +6 to hit)

Percy tossed another punch back at them. "You've got this, c'mon. I believe in you."  
(11+7 to hit, 2dmg)

Aeron tried to hit him again, and missed. They growl under their breath, and fling their staff away. Accidentally, it hits Percy in the shoulder. (d7 +6, d12 +6 5dmg)

Aeron: 59hp Percy: 59hp

Percy laughed at the hit, shaking his weapons away. "Maybe we should stop?" He offers gently.

Aeron flushes, but nods with a smile. They heal themself and Percy both, flicking their wrist with the consecutive bursts of magic. (10 Health to Both Percy and Self)  
"Sorry I lost my temper. You're okay?"

Aeron: 69hp Percy: 69hp

Percy nodded and leaned on them. "Yeah. You?"

Aeron ran their fingers through Percy's hair, humming softly.  
"I'm okay."

"I'm proud of you." Percy added slowly, quietly. "You're doing great."


End file.
